The highly acclaimed Unreal Tournament has a new addition. There are 2 new modes, new vehicles, weapons, arenas, battlefields and a new customizable user interface. Also a new chat facility lets you chat to other players and then show them what you have done with the demo recorder.
Assault Mode
The first new game mode is back by popular demand and it is called assault. For this game objectives are given and then one team tries to carry these out while the other tries to stop and destroy them. Also in some maps you are required to hold onto positions for a certain amount of time. This mode will ship with 6 new maps. On one map called AS-Convoy (Assault) the attackers have to make their way up a speeding train and hold control of a bridge to a second train. When the attacking team has reached the second train they must enter its cargo hold and steal a set of crucial and important missiles. On the other hand the defending team man turrets and take shots with a sniper rifle. To make AS maps more fun and frantic there will be weapon posts dotted about the map, where several weapons can be picked up simultaneously.
Onslaught
The second new mode is called Onslaught. This is large-scale multi-player game where each team has a base that houses a power core. The idea of the game is for the teams to destroy each other’s cores and win the game, but there is one slight catch. In order to obtain access to the cores power nodes must be held, this gives the game a to and fro style and combat can be focused on several fronts.
New vehicles
Because of onslaught maps such large size the developers have brought in the addition of new vehicles. A Hummer style truck, with 2 mounted gun turrets, but the amazing thing about this vehicle is its shock rifle combo shot. This is a shot where bursts of plasma are fired and if hit by a subsequent hit those previous shots will detonate, acting like a cluster bomb? A smaller version of the truck is a one man ATV with mounted grenade launcher. Also there is a one-man hovercraft with laser cannon, with this you can also squish your enemies, a little fun element. One final vehicle is the TANK. Although slow moving this fires rockets and the raptor, a small flying vehicle handling and acting much like a helicopter, this fires lasers and guided missiles. Hopefully these vehicles will provide fast travel over vast terrain.
New weapons
New weapons include AVRIL (Anti vehicle rocket launcher) which locks on to vehicles the fires homing rockets at the target. On foot a spider mine launcher which fires spider like mines which run after enemies and sticks to them. Also you can direct hem with a laser pointer which is attached. And finally a sticky grenade launcher, which sticks to virtually anything, like players or vehicles.
UT 2004 will include all of UT2003 content as well so mod-makers can carry on the same format. All in all UT2004 will ship with 20 new maps, improved AI and the new UI (user interface), this is a device which lets you to specify your own cross hairs and give the game a more personal feel.
Expected release date: 16th December 2003
Phillip Rich 15th October 2003